Discovering Me, Loving You
by Kyuupo
Summary: Hitomi's frequent visits to Gaea had become more scarce during the last few years due to school and other obligations. But now that she's graduated high school, the seer has plans to surprise an unknowing Fanelian Prince with news of her permanent relocation... [Multi-chapter Van/Hitomi fanfiction.]


**Discovering Me, Loving You**  
_Chapter One: Departure_

Subtraction underway! Five... Four... Three... Two... One... —Yes! Graduation caps were tossed into the air as confetti bombs were set off, covering the entire area. The graduation ceremony had reached its celebratory conclusion. Words of appreciation, congratulations and well-wishes for the future were passed between the crowd of students and teachers alike - except for one girl who had made a quick and quiet exit.

She entered the girl's changing room quickly and shrugged off her graduation robes. Digging into her gym bag, she pulled out a fresh change of clothes that consisted of a pair of blue-jean shorts, a loose t-shirt, socks and sneakers. Changing quickly, she folded her robes and tucked them inside her bag along with the stockings and high heels she had worn with them. Thin fingers reached up to unclasp the barrette holding her hair in place, allowing the tresses to fall loosely to her shoulders. She ran her fingers through the strands a few times before raising off of the ground, picking up her bag as she went.

"There you are, Hitomi! I figured that you'd sneak off as soon as you were able."

Hitomi turned around to face the red-head who addressed her, a lopsided grin on her face. "Hehe, you know me too well Yukari. I couldn't stand being there longer than I had to be!"

Yukari returned the smile, closing the distance between them and drawing her best friend into a hug. "Do you really plan to go there right now?" she asked, her voice sounding somewhat sad.

The brunette wrapped her free arm around Yukari, giving her a tight hug. "Yeah... It's been almost a year. I avoided going back so I could focus on my studies and graduate like mom wanted. But I'm done with that now, you know? I want... no, I need to be where I belong now."

There was a brief pause as the two just stood there, holding each other for what seemed like a brief eternity. The silence was finally broken when Yukari chuckled.

"Ah well, it's not like anything I could say would keep you here!" she replied jokingly, stepping back and lowering her arms. "I know how crazy you are about him. It's about time you go and claim your man!"

Hitomi's cheeks blazed. "I-it's not like that! I mean, well it is, but it isn't!" Her relationship with Van wasn't an easy one to explain. It was obvious they were in love, but they had never made any formal arrangements. It was assumed they were an item, but he'd never directly asked -_ urgh_! She ruffled her own hair, frustrated with the direction her thoughts were heading in.

Yukari noticed this and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hurry up and get your things in order. I know you'll be leaving tonight, so I'll just say my goodbyes here." She squeezed the shoulder beneath her fingertips slightly. "Just... take care of yourself. Make sure you come back and tell me before you do anything crazy like get married or have babies. And don't forget me!"

The seer chuckled and pulled Yukari toward her for another hug. "I could never forget you, silly. You're my best friend in the world!" It wasn't like this would be the last time they'd ever see each other. Yes, she planned to move to Gaea for good, but the way back to Earth would always be open. She planned to visit for special holidays as much as possible.

But Yukari knew that she probably wouldn't see her friend for some time. It was something she had prepared herself for from the day that Hitomi had told her of the plans she was making.

_'I want to visit Gaea often, but I can't. I have so much homework and mom needs my help around the house a lot these days.'_

_'But when I'm done, I'm going to move to Gaea for good! I just... feel like that's where I belong you know?'_

She hadn't expressed how sad that news made her then and she wasn't going to do it now. It wasn't her place to hold her friend from where she wanted to be and it had been obvious since she came back almost three years ago that Gaea was that place.

...

...

...

The rest of the day was a blur. She had left the school after bidding Yukari farewell and headed straight home. It had been her plan to tie up some loose ends before her departure - some of which had included calling a few people she hadn't talked to in a while to see how they were, spending time with her little brother, returning some books to the library and other little relative things.

She had finished up by preparing dinner for the family, a delectable cuisine of baked fish, rice and misc soup. It turned out better than she had thought and was well-received. The clean up afterwards didn't take much time, so she opted to watch a little tv with them as well. Her brother had fallen asleep on the couch and she'd placed a blanket on him. A brief conversation with her mother had transpired once she gone to her room.

The older woman had stared at her daughter long and hard before sighing in defeat. "I knew from the day that you first came back that you'd one day leave again," she began, a small smile on her lips. "You were never the same after you were sent to that world. Just like my mother, you both changed because of what you saw there. For better or for worse... I don't know."

Releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in, the woman reached over to embrace Hitomi. "I know this is something you have to do," she had said, holding her daughter close. "Just promise me you'll be safe. Safe and happy, that's all I want for you."

Hitomi had embraced her mother tightly and held back tears that threatened to fall. "I promise, mom. I promise."

Her mother went to bed soon after and Hitomi was left to finish her preparations alone. She pulled a large suitcase out of the hall closets and dragged it to her room, tossing it on to the bed. It had been half packed before she decided to just use her gym bag instead. Gaea had different customs and weather than Earth, so it only made sense to wear their clothing. Not to mention that Van would probably demand she have a wardrobe of her own sown within a week of her arrival. The thought of the Fanelian Prince mulling over something as trivial as her clothes brought another smile to her face.

She walked over to her bed and jumped on it, her body bouncing on the mattress a few times before settling snugly in the middle. As she stared up at the ceiling she began reminiscing about her first visit to Gaea.

Her mom was right, that was the event that forever changed her life. Prior to that fateful day, she'd been a totally average girl. Everyday high school student with normal girl problems. Unspoken first love, loads of homework and an obnoxious sibling - just the usual things. But she had (literally) ran into a brash boy brandishing a sword who she ended up saving from being impaled by a dragon's tail. He had taken the dragon's heart and then they had both between transported to a place where the moon and the Earth hung high in the sky.

There she was thrust into the middle of a war and into the permanent company of the cocky boy who ended up being a prince, later crowned king. She had seen dragons, magic, sorcery, death, deception and other things a girl her age would have never dreamed of. It had been painful at times, but overall it was an experience that she wouldn't trade for anything. After all, if she had never been teleported there, she wouldn't have met the man who now held her heart.

She pushed herself into a sitting position and scooted off the bed, preparing to finish her packing.

In the end, she decided to only bring what she had taken with her before - her gym bag, school uniform, a spare pair of sneakers, tarot cards and of course, the lone feather that Van had gifted to her. She glanced around her room for what would be the last for some time, engraving the sight of all her familiar things to memory. With a heave of breath, she picked up the necklace that laid on the dresser and clasped the chain on to her neck.

Grabbing her bag, she opened her balcony door and stepped out on to the ledge. The night air was chilled and it cooled her skin nicely. Right above the middle of her chest hung a bright red pendant - the very same her grandmother have given her oh so long ago. The very same instrument that maintained her connection to Gaea and more importantly, to Van.

Van...

"I want to see him," she whispered, holding a hand over the pendant. **"I want to see Van!"**

Heeding her call, a bright blue light descended from the heavens and engulfed Hitomi. Her eyes closed and she allowed herself to be lifted from the ledge and into the air. It wouldn't be long until she found herself back on the hidden planet known as Gaea.

_Her new home._


End file.
